In recognition of September being Suicide Prevention Month, let’s work together to raise awareness about how we can prevent suicide in our communities and create a more supportive, caring society where the stigma of mental health is a thing of the past.

Let’s start the conversation today. And let’s keep the conversation going every day – not just during September.

Suicide is a very real issue. Just consider these facts from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP):
Suicide claimed 41,149 lives in 2013 in the United States alone, with someone dying by suicide every 12.8 minutes.

A suicide attempt is made every minute of every day, resulting in nearly one million attempts made annually.

In digesting that information it’s so important to remember that suicide is preventable.

Together, with necessary resources and appropriate tools, we can save lives. We can help people to see that someone does care and that theirs is a life worth living. In many cases, it all starts with a simple conversation.

Here are a few resources that you may find helpful in getting that conversation started:

You can also literally take the first step to join this important cause at one of five community walks taking place in Connecticut in October.

The AFSP’s Out of the Darkness walks are an excellent way to show your support for suicide prevention, connect with like-minded individuals and, as the name implies, help bring suicide out of the darkness and into the light where we can openly and safely discuss it and work to prevent it.

The community walks are truly a grassroots effort that continues to grow each year. According to the Out of the Darkness web site, in 2004, about 4,000 people participated in 24 community walks. This year, it is expected that approximately 200,000 people will join the 350 walks across the country. I hope you will be one of them.